Merlin NPCs

Watch out, there's a new villain in town! That's right, since this is an AU which begins right after season 3, we miss out on Agravayne as a villain (please try to curb your enthusiasm). Therefore, I give you a new villain, played by Tom Felton.

Background:

Kilhwch (pronounced Killeck) is Arthur's cousin, who comes to stay with him for a while on the pretense of helping the king and queen "settle in." In reality he was thrown out of his kingdom of the South by his father and step-mother when they found out he was going to get married against their wishes. The woman he wanted to marry was Morgana, who is currently gaining power in a castle near his parents kingdom. He met her while traveling, and finds her physically attractive as well as a fun challenge for his brain. He is now hanging out at Camelot, benefiting from his relationship to the king. Arthur knights him as a birthday present, giving him the nickname "Sir Kay."

Skills:
Kilhwch is an extremely brilliant young man, and has dabbled in many subjects, including magical practices. He also has extraordinary people skills, can remember faces and names easily with almost photographic memory. Give him five minutes in a crowd of strangers and he will have become best friends with half of them and know everything about the other half. This is due to his good attitude, and people don't often see him without a smile on his face. On top of this he is handsome and successful with the ladies, who always have crushes on him.

Personality:
Despite possessing many skills and a creative mind he is easily bored and uses his skills and superior intelligence for petty fun. His motives in any situation are ambivalent at best. He has a few morals but generally thinks about short-term selfish goals. He is a womanizer, a kleptomaniac, a gambler, and a habitual liar. He will convince you to loan him an incredible sum and always weasel out of paying it back. Intermittently loyal when it suits him, if you ask him for something he will give it to you but it was probably stolen. He makes introverts nervous and excited at the same time by his intrusive questions (he often preys on the quietest people in a group, exploring their deepest secrets though you never meant to tell him anything). The thing is that he is just so likeable--he'll steal your watch and make you say "sorry" when you get it back. He loves making others uncomfortable, and believes that psychological torture is better than any physical pain.

Relationships:

Morgana: he is a picture-perfect lover. He will bring her flowers and give her everything she asks for, just for the opportunity to engage in banter and mind games. He does love her, as far as he understands the word, and probably understands her motives and intentions better than anyone in the world.

Merlin: According to Kilhwch, Merlin is his very best friend of all. He declares this within moments of their first meeting, because Kilhwch is smart enough to know that Merlin will be his greatest opponent. But that gives something for Kilhwch to ponder, and simply knowing that means that Kilhwch wins many of their first encounters. Kilhwch, for instance, discovers Merlin's magic and discovers that he is the wizard that will defeat Morgana, and that he is a Dragonlord. All of these things he generally keeps to himself but uses to manipulate Merlin for his own fun. Merlin will have to get up early in the morning to outsmart this boy!

Gwen: Gwen is the one person whom Kilhwch avoids. She can see right through him, does not fall for his wiles and generally is the one who can foil him in the end. If asked, he says that he hates her. After all, she is perfect moral right, the antithesis of everything that he is. Even Merlin makes mistakes which Kilhwch can latch onto--but not Gwen. She infuriates him. For her part, she doesn't like him very much, but she certainly feels sorry for him.

Arthur: He sees Arthur as someone who can benefit him, and thus is a good friend of his. He can influence Arthur easily because they are equals, and will engage in all kinds of activities that Arthur does. Because of Arthur he can generally do whatever he wants. Arthur is responsible for Killhwch's knighthood, and offers a new name for him which has quickly caught on--"Sir K."

Leon: Leon, who is very nervous around this younger, more attractive and more confident guy, is the perfect target for Kilhwch's antics. More than once he has played a practical joke on Leon just for fun. He makes it his mission to prove to Leon that you can't go by the book all the time.

Gwaine: he and Gwaine are good friends. Kilhwch sees a kindred spirit in Gwaine in that he is the least inhibited of all the knights. However, Gwaine quickly becomes annoyed with Kilhwch's lack of morals and eventually they start hating each other too despite the fact that they like each other.

We're going to have to add a certain couple of knights....

Gareth, anyone? lol

http://www.malestarz.com/uploads/photos/0d2cf9c2e6bde902b227edaeb8efe5321.jpg

Lady Elaine of Ascolat

Appearance:

She's from one of the Celtic lordships North of Camelot. She's average build, on the boney side.

Background:

Lady Elaine is a noble, daughter of Lord Bernard. She has visited Camelot several times but has not spent much time there. Her mother is deceased--she lives with her father who is extremely attached to her but generally too dull of company for her.

Skills:

Elaine is an expert seamstress and weaves tapestries. These tapestries are so beautiful, in fact, that it is possible that they are woven with magic. However, if they are, it is by accident, because Elaine has no magical training. She is also very good with horses and archery. She is also one of the most beautiful women in the land.

Personality:

She is very sweet and affectionate. She can say the wrong thing at the wrong time but she usually doesn't care much what others think. Instead she speaks her mind even if its not necessarily the most tactful thing to say. Although she has had little exposure to the big city she enjoys meeting new people and talking with them about anything. She has intelligent things to say so this is usually fine, though some consider her too forward. Growing up as the lady of the house has given her lots of responsibility and that has turned into independence--although she prefers the company of others she does not require it, and will do what it takes to get the job done. Sometimes she is so stoic that she can come across as just pretending to be friendly, but in reality she's very sweet and it doesn't take long for her to warm up to people. Being very beautiful, few men have ever seriously approached her, thinking that she would never accept them. Thus she has developed a self-deprecating nature. Not very wise but she does like to have fun!

Relationships:

Lancelot: Let's say Lance was an old flame (real old--like, she was twelve and he was ten), but his tendency to be emo about everything made her annoyed, and she broke off their relationship. Because of this Lancelot wrote a sad poem called "Lady of Shalott".

Merlin: She is very kind to Merlin and thinks he's funny. She likes that Merlin offers to take time out of his busy schedule to offer his assistance to her now and then, and gives him a break by not asking him to do things for her.

Gwen: Elaine can fulfill the role of Morgana for Gwen--being a lady, they will have the chance to get to know each other and become good friends. Elaine appreciates that Gwen is not like a normal noblewoman and will do things for herself; she also appreciates Gwen's wisdom. Part of her thinks of Gwen as a role model for her own behavior.

Arthur: She sees Arthur as a bit of a prat, and doesn't see the goodness in him that Gwen does. She has to go through the same process that Merlin does to find out that he actually can be a nice guy--on the surface, though, she doesn't like him.

Leon: She sees in Leon a gentle soul like hers; unlike Lancelot, however, Leon soldiers on and works hard to get what he wants, which she admires. At first she's pretty shy about him. But she's a girl who gets what she wants and so she joins with Gwaine to move their relationship along a bit, so that they finally court. She may even tease him sometimes, when she gets a little more comfortable around him, pushing him to get out of his comfort zone. She likes that he's so dependable. She also likes his beard.

Gwaine: She likes Gwaine because he's funny and awesome. They are partners in many schemes and are very similar to one another.


***


"I couldn't imagine getting married at your age!" Elaine was saying to Gwen at the wedding banquet. She was only a few years older than Gwen but it seemed like a lifetime of difference.

Gwen only smiled. "You just have to find the right person."

"And Arthur's the right person?"

"Yes, he is."

Elaine laughed. "Well, if it were anyone else saying it I wouldn't believe them."

"Well, then, who do you fancy?"

This came from Merlin, who poked his head between them to fill their goblets with more wine, despite their protestations that they had both had enough.

"Come on, your majesty," he said, "if I were looking at the prospect of spending a month alone in a room with Arthur I'd be drinking everything in sight!"

"But you are going to be spending a month with Arthur," Gwen said.

"Yes, but he's your main problem now! Come on, Elaine, which is your favorite knight?"

"Er…" she scanned the room. A group of knights were all sitting together--a brown-haired fellow (Sir Gwaine, he had already introduced himself), a fellow with giant arms, a few more plain-looking fellows--

--and a curly-haired, bearded ginger. Like the man with the large arms, he slouched in his chair to more suit the level of the other knights, who appeared to be significantly shorter than he. He was laughing.

"Who's that fluffy fellow?"

Merlin laughed out loud. "You don't mean *Leon!*"

"What? I like his beard."

"I'll see if I can introduce you," Merlin said, his eyes twinkling, "but no promises. He's insanely shy. Though…" he added, as they watched the man named Leon nearly fall out of his chair, "...perhaps less so when he's drunk?"

Merlin disappeared into the crowd. Leon was indeed having a good time, laughing at some terrible joke Percival just told. Merlin took him by the shoulder.

"Good news, Leon!"

"Hmm?" he looked up from his scotch.

"Your lady would like to meet you."

"My lady? What d--" Leon blinked as he caught Lady Elaine's eye across the hall.

"Come on, we'll go over together."

Terror suddenly gripped Leon through the mists of alcohol. “...No,” he said, feigning indifference. He took another swig of his beer to calm himself.

“Come on, Leon! You don’t want to look like a clotpole!”

Leon coughed. “Er--well--"

But Merlin was already forcibly pulling him out of his chair, and in an inebriated haze he was heading toward her.

Elaine watched uneasily as the ginger was dragged out of his seat and he walked unsteadily over to her. Merlin seemed to be the only one at ease.

"Lady Elaine, allow me to present the finest knight of--Cameliard, isn't it?" And, as if Merlin's grin could get any bigger, he beamed and winked at them. "I think I'd better let you make your own introductions!" And he disappeared into the crowd, leaving the poor knight swallowing and fidgeting on the spot.

"It's a pleasure, Lady Elaine," he said, bowing awkwardly in the crowded hall. Elaine could smell very fine Scotch whiskey on his breath, which otherwise smelled very clean. She thought that was very attractive.

"Sorry, my name's Leon." He paused. "Sir Leon."

"I'll be sure not to forget the 'sir,' sir," she said, and laughed heartily for it. Egads, I'm drunk, too! At least that makes two of us.

His cheeks only turned redder for her laughter. "I--er--just wanted to introduce myself." Again, he paused, and when she was about to answer he continued, "I'm one of Arthur's--captain of the guard--and if there's anything you might need, my lady--lady, I mean--you can send for me. Anytime."

"Thank you, Sir Leon," she said, and, suddenly remembering her manners, offered her hand. He took it like a man, only realizing when he touched it that she had meant for him to kiss it, not shake it. He smiled very nervously, and gave it a quick kiss before he disappeared into the crowd.

Elaine turned back in her chair, caught Gwen's eye. A moment later they burst out laughing.

Lancelot du Lac



Background:

Lancelot was not born a knight, but he always had the heart of one. Born to a poor family from the lake country (now lost), he traveled extensively until he so impressed King Uther that he was knighted. When it was found he was not of noble birth, the knighthood was revoked, but after Uther's death Arthur reinstated the title.

Skills:

He is the noblest of Arthur's knights: ask anyone. Lancelot is a strong fighter: good with sword, bow, lance. He is a nice guy, and people instantly trust him. He speaks French fluently and also a smattering of Latin. He is also something of a budding author, and can often be found composing poetry to the woman in his life or about the adventures of the Round Table Knights. He is working on a manuscript entitled The Book of King Arthur and of his Noble Knights of the Round Table under the pen name Sir Thomas Malory.

Personality:

It might explain a great deal to say that Lancelot is a lover, not a fighter. He glories not in battle or in jousting but in the court. He is serially monogamous, always finding a new lady to direct his affections toward, but when these flames die he always returns to pining for Queen Guinevere. Because of his...complicated love life, he can have trouble focusing, and can always be found daydreaming or scribbling. He is, however, incredibly likeable, and it is nearly impossible to hate him. In fact, it's practically impossible to not love him.

Relationships:

Arthur: Lancelot's King and Liegelord. He gave Lancelot his knighthood, for which he will ever be forever grateful. In spite of this, Lancelot wants his woman something fierce.

Gwen: He is madly in love with her, and feels hurt and betrayed by the fact that she has clearly moved on from him. He is convinced (even when he briefly convinces himself otherwise) that he will never love another. Luckily, this comes across as chivalric devotion rather than outright treason.

Merlin: Lancelot was the first to know of Merlin's magic, and they were once good friends, though this friendship has waned somewhat since he became a Knight of the Round Table (simply from lack of contact). He loves and appreciates Merlin, and no matter what, would never reveal his secret to anyone.

Leon: He respects and admires Sir Leon, and expects he do the same to him. He insists that they are equals, by heart and deed if not by blood. They often think similarly, trusting to the ideals of chivalry and the inherent goodness of men.

Gwaine: Lancelot is confused and frustrated by Gwaine. By all rights, they should be kindred spirits, having risen up from humble beginnings to the knightly ranks--but Gwaine's prickly personality has always proved somewhat difficult to navigate. He does not hold with basically any of Gwaine's ideals (the drinking, carousing, belligerence, lack of respect for women) but because they are both generally affable people, they can get along well enough. They have an informal rivalry going on, and as a result, Lancelot gets along with Gwaine best when they are sparring.

Sir Elyan



Background: Tom the blacksmith expected much of Elyan from an early age, having lived in a much worse situation in Camelot than they were in when Merlin met them. However, Elyan was an unreliable son and brother, and left home many times before he left for good a while before Merlin ever came to Camelot.

Skills: he is trained as a blacksmith, and knows good armor and weapons when he sees them. He is also very adept with the sword, having spent much time training with the swords he helped build.

Personality: Elyan was an introverted and intelligent child who did not benefit from the guidance of his father, who was too busy with his work to raise him. Despite his dreams of building magnificent swords, he was forced to spend day after day hammering horseshoes. He found his work pointless and often neglected it, preferring to work on his own projects or go exploring. This created tension between him and his father, and drove Elyan to further introversion and selfishness. He does not deal with responsibility well, fearing failure so much that it often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The friendships he forms are often tenuous, and though he has shown loyalty to Arthur, the more flattering part of his reputation is due in large part to the word of his sister, who sees his inner goodness. However, he is not cruel--he is in fact quite brave and despite his vacillating nature, he does not lie and has a good heart. His time with the Camelot knights is slowly giving him room to improve his good qualities.

Sir Galehaut "Hauttie"



Background:

Galehaut, the second son in a family loyal to Camelot, for most of his life wanted to go into the church, and studied extensively for such a career. However, he disagreed with the Church on a few issues, and abandoned this life. He decided at the age of 25 that he'd rather be a knight instead, and, more or less on a lark, decided to attack Camelot. In that battle, Galehaut saw Lancelot's prowess and capitulated, swearing allegiance to Arthur and to Camelot for Lancelot's sake. He after some time was made a Knight of the Round Table.

Skills:

Intelligent, highly educated, very cultured. Accomplished musician (harp), painter, poet. He is also one of the most agreeable people you could meet: attractive, is always clean and nice-smelling, often smiles, and giggles often (but never enough to get annoying), so he can get almost anyone to open up to him and like him. Not necessarily a good fighter, but can hold his own in battle.

Personality:

Galehaut is personable, friendly, and empathetic. He is everyone's friend, and although he'll often be catty about people behind their backs, everyone is his friend, too. He is affectionate, sweet, and thoughtful. He likes doing nice things for people and smiles constantly. He enjoys being playful and light-hearted, and is never threatening. He is flamboyantly homosexual, and is in love with Sir Lancelot.

Relationships:

Leon: Being of similar background and status gives Leon and Galehaut much in common. They are the "preps" of the castle.

Gwaine: Gets along with Galehaut smashingly, despite the fact that they have very little in common.

Merlin:

Arthur: Has sworn allegiance to him, but only in order to get to...

Lancelot: The love of his life. His dream man. Galehaut is devoted to Lancelot until the end, in every imaginable way. He is willing to be his best friend for now, but dreams of the day they will be together. Lancelot, however, is straight as an arrow, is serially monogamous, and anyway is still in love with...

Guinevere: That bitch.

Killhwch: Probably the only person Galehaut has to pretend to get along with. At least, that's what he tells the other knights.

Mari and Cadi



Twin girls of the minor nobility. Party girls, acquaintances of Gwaine. Everyone get their names mixed up, anyway, so it doesn't really matter who is who (though for the record, Mari has lighter hair). Both are loud, have few manners, drink a lot, swear a lot, and are in the game of life to sleep their way up the feudal system. They are tons of fun for the first few hours, after which they become steadily more dreadful. They are, however, enormously attractive, enough even to account for their awful personalities, for those who have a weakness for that sort of thing.



One (or both, he's not really sure) was once a fling of Lancelot's. They quite fancy Gwaine, but are mainly in it to get close enough to him to meet the other knights (Percival is the one they currently have their sights set on).

Galahad

A soldier of Camelot who was on his way to becoming a knight. Young, funny, cheerful, optimistic, a hard-worker and nice to everyone. He died during the dragon attacks in Season 2.

The lovely people/person at merlinknights on tumblr graciously listed the knights who are dead by the end of S3, in case we ever need to refer to them:

Okay, I couldn’t help myself, and watched episodes 1x09 and 3x12 where I knew some fallen Knights had been mentioned, and this is the little list of those names…
(Not sure if these names are correctly spelled…)


Died fighting Sir Tristan de Bois - 1x09

Sir Owain
Sir Pellinor


Killed by Cenred’s ambush - 3x12

Sir Edrick
Sir Olaf
Sir Osrick

Presumed dead but not really because BAMF Druids made him BAMF Immortal - 3x12

Sir Leon